Diagnosing COPD

How do doctors test for COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) is a complicated condition, but it can often be diagnosed with a
very simple, painless test.

Testing for COPD primarily involves
measuring how well your lungs work at drawing in and breathing out air. If
breathing tests suggest a COPD diagnosis, your doctor might order further tests
to rule out similar conditions or to find out how COPD is affecting your body.

Who Should Be Tested for COPD?

People who are experiencing
possible COPD symptoms and may be at risk should get tested. Risk factors
include a history of smoking, occupational exposure to fumes or dust, family
history of emphysema, and a genetic disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin
deficiency. Look out for the following classic
symptoms:

Some of these symptoms might also
be signs of asthma, pneumonia, congestive heart failure, or other lung
conditions — or they may be resulting from conditions that are not related
to the lungs — so be sure to discuss them with your doctor. It’s
important to know what is affecting your health so it can be treated correctly.
Your doctor might perform one of the following tests to rule out or confirm
COPD.

Diagnosing
COPD With Spirometry Testing

This procedure is considered to be the most important test used to identify
COPD. Spirometry is a simple test that measures how well you breathe, says
Norman Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association and
a professor of medicine at Stony Brook University. It requires no preparation
on your part, other than to stop smoking or using any inhaled bronchodilators
you may be taking before the test. This test should be available in almost any
doctor’s office, so you will not have to go to a lab or another location.

During the test, you will be
asked to breathe into a tube that is connected to a machine; it will measure
your breathing. A trained technician will ask you to breathe in and out
normally, inhale deeply, breathe out all the air you can, and direct you to do some
additional breathing activities. If the results of your spirometry test suggest
that you have COPD, your doctor may order X-rays to determine the health of
your lungs and blood tests to see how well your lungs deliver oxygen to your
blood. The results of your spirometry test, combined with your symptoms, help
your doctor understand where your COPD falls on the range from mild to severe.
This test can be repeated annually to find out whether your lung function is
changing.

Additional COPD
diagnostic tests may include:

Alpha-1
Antitrypsin Deficiency Screening

This is a blood test for the inherited trait that causes a rare form
of COPD in younger adults.

Arterial
Blood Gases Analysis

Arterial blood is the oxygenated blood in your lungs, left side of the
heart, and the arteries. If your doctor suspects that your COPD is very severe —
for example, if you have bluish fingernails or lips — he or she may
order this test to find out how much oxygen and carbon dioxide are in your
arterial blood and get a better understanding of how well your lungs are
working.

Chest
X-rays and CAT
Scans

X-rays may suggest COPD, and they can tell your doctor if you have other
conditions that may be complicating your COPD diagnosis and making breathing
difficult, such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, or heart problems. A specialized
X-ray called computer assisted tomography (CAT) scans can help diagnose COPD
and screen for lung cancer, which has a high prevalence in COPD patients who
have smoked.

Diagnosing
COPD is an important first step in treatment. The sooner you are diagnosed, the
more effective COPD treatment can be. If you’re experiencing COPD symptoms like
shortness of breath, talk to your doctor about getting tested.

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